Clamp type wrench adapter for deep well operations



Jan. 16, 1962 C. E. MYERS ETAL CLAMP TYPE WRENCH ADAPTER FOR DEEP WELL OPERATIONS Filed April 6, 1959 3,016,776 CLAW TYPE WRENCH ADAPTER FR DEEP WELL GPERATINS Charles E. Myers, College Station, Tex., and William T.

Linson, Houma, La., assigner-s to Texaco Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 6, 1959, Ser. No. @4,293 3 Claims. (Cl. l--llm 'Ihis invention is concerned with deep well apparatus. More specifically, it is concerned with an adapter for particular deep well operations involving the handling of a long string of relatively small diameter rods.

In oil well operations involving a well that is a pumper and therefore has located therein a string of sucker rods that are connected from a pump at the lower portion of the well to the surface, diiculties have often been encountered in attempting to pull the pump from the weil. Such dii'lculties may be due to sanding down in the well, or junk in the tubing or from similar causes. In any even-t, the sticking of the pump down in the well renders it necessary to unscrew the string of sucker rods and pull out as many as possible. Such unscrewing is commonly known as backing olf the sucker rods.

In many operations of this sort the situation is such that it is carried out as a manual operation, i.e. the backing oil, or unscrewing of the string of sucker rods. Such manual operation is usually carried out by employing a large wheel and a clamp for applying the necessary torque to the string of sucker rods. Such a manual operation is quite time consuming and difficult, in addition to involving considerable hazard, in that the clamping of such a wheel to the rod is not sufficiently elective to apply the required torque in many instances so that it is usual to attach a pipe wrench to the wheel in order to be able to apply the necessary torque. Under such conditions, it has been found that when a joint finally breaks free at one of the sucker rod connections in the string, it is apt to cause a violent jump and in addition may spin the wheel at a high speed thus tending to throw off the wrench in a dangerous manner. Thus, any manual operation for backing off sucker rods has been extremely time consuming in addition to being physically tedious and hazardous.

Usually, there is readily available a power tool known as tubing tongs for applying a high degree of torque to Aoil eld tubing. Such tool, however, is adapted for use with tubing and the limit of the smallest diameter which it will handle is greater than the size of a sucker rod. Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide an adapter that will render the use of power tubing tongs feasible in a sucker rod string back-oft operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a split cylindrical member that may be readily attached to a rod such as a sucker rod and clamped securely thereto, so as to eiectively increase the diameter of the rod for allowing application of torque to the rod by means of conventional tubing tongs.

Briey, the invention concerns an adapter for deep well operations wherein a long string of relatively small diameter rods are to be unscrewed. The adapter comprises a split cylindrical structure, and includes means for gripping one of said rods to prevent relative rotation between the rod and the said structure.

The foregoing and other objects and benefits of the invention will be more fully appreciated in connection with a more detailed description of a preferred embodiment that is set forth below, and that is illustrated in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation showing an adapter accord- 3,015,775 Patented Jari. 16, 1962 ing to the invention, in place on a sucker rod and with a tubing tong in place for applying torque thereto;

FlG. 2 is a side elevation, somewhat enlarged, showing the adapter in position around a sucker rod;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal elevation of the adapter taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is another longitudinal elevation taken along the lines 4-4 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a transverse cross sectional view taken along the lines 5-5 of FIG. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 6 is another transverse cross sectional view taken along the lines `6-6 of FIG. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to FIG. l there is illustrated an adapter 11 according to the invention, that is shown in place on a sucker rod i2. The rod 12 is one of a. string of sucker rods which extends down into a deep well (not shown) and which it is desired to back olf, or unscrew. By reason of the great length of the string of sucker rods (which may run to thousands of feet) the operation of backing off, or unscrewing the string of rods will usually involve many turns of the rod 12 at the top of the string. This will be especially true if the joints between rods hold fast, and do not break free to start unscrewing for quite some time after the first application of torque in the proper direction. Naturally, this is because of the great length of the string of rods which will have accumulative ilexibility in torsion the longer the string. Consequently there will be many turns required to build up the torsion along the string until the amount of torque is applied at the joint which requires the least to break loose and back off.

in mounting the adapter 11 on the rod 12, there are employed a pair of pipe clamps 15 and 16, one near each end of the adapter 11. In addition, it is advisable to employ a safety clamp 17 around the .adapter 11 near the center thereof, and close to the point of application of torque by means of a power tubing tong 1S that is schematically illustrated.

It is pointed out that the pipe clamps 15 and 16 are conventional and may have any suitable construction. Similarly the safety clamp 17 may take various forms. However, it is illustrated as a commercial item safety type T clamp that is manufactured by the Baash-Ross Tool Company having general oiiices at Los Angeles, California. Likewise, the tubing tong 18 may be any feasible equipment, but is illustrated in a. schematic manner to indicate an air power tubing tong of the type manufactured by Hillman Kelly Company of Los Angeles, California. The tong being preferably their Model 350() Tubing Tong.

By employing the adapter 11 in connection with the tubing tong 18, the operation of backing olf a sucker rod string is rendered `very easy and time saving in addition to avoiding the hazards involved in a manual operation. Thus, as soon as the adapter 11 is placed over the rod 12 and clamps 15 and 16 have been tightened around either end of the adapter, the safety clamp 17 may be applied near the center of the adapter and tightened for holding the adapter clamped tightly to the rod 12. Then the tubing tong 1S will be clamped into place around the adapter 11, close to the safety clamp 17, and thereafter power may be applied via the tong 18 to rotate and apply torque to the adapter 11 and 4thence to the rod 12.

It has been found that in using the .above procedure the torque may be quickly applied until the backoif action thus applied causes an opening at one of the sucker rod joints and an unscrewing thereof, so that the string of rods may then be pulled up out of the well. In a similar manner, if all of the joints are stuck too tight the tongs will apply torque beyond the strength of some one of the sucker rods, and such rod will break olf. Then, as before the sucker rod string may be pulled from the hole. In either case, the action at the power tongs 13 is merely that of a speed up of the rotation which is being applied and no harmful or dangerous action will be encountered.

Referring to FIGS. 2 through 6 the details of the construction of a particular embodiment for adapter 11 will be described.

It will be observed that the body of the adapter 11 is made up of a longitudinally divided length of heavy tubing, or pipe, so that there are two halves 21 and 22 thereof. The half 21 is shown in FIG. 4 with its interior elements in view, while the half -22 is shown in FG. 3 in like manner.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, and 6, the interior elements of the adapter 11 will be described. There is a longitudinally elongated die 25 located at the middle (lengthwise) of half 21 of the adapter 11. Die 25 has a groove 26 (see FlG. 6) formed between two ridges and running the length thereof, which acts to provide a gripping surface in contact against the rod 12. The die 25 may be supported on the half 21 of the adapter in any feasible manner, e.g. that illustrated wherein -there is employed a V cross section angle 27 that is fastened securely to the inside lsurface of the half 2.1 in any feasible manner such as by welding, as indicated in FIG. 6.

At each end of the angle 27 there is a transverse panel 30 and 31. These panels 3d and 31 each has a notch 32 and 33 respectively that lies in line with the gripping groove 26 of the die 25. However the notches 32 and 33 are semicircular in shape, and made corresponding in size with the rod 12. Spaced from the panels 36 and 31 there are similar panels 36 and 37 that are located Hush with the ends of the pipe half 2E. There are notches 38 and 39, in panels 36 and 37 respectively, that are located along the axis of the half 21 similarly to, and in line with the notches 32 and 33.

Turning to FIG. 3 it will be observed that the other half 22 of the adapter 11 is quite similar to half 21. It has a die 42 with a longitudinal extending groove 43 thereon, exactly the same way as the die 25 and groove 26 of the other half 21. Furthermore, there is a V cross section angle 44 just like the correspondingly located angle 27 on the other half 21. Also, there are panels 45 and 46 that are in all respects similar to panels 30 and 31 on the other half. Of course there are notches 49 and 50 in the panels 45 and 46 respectively.

.Spaced from the panels 45 and 46 on half 22, there are panels 51 and 52, with notches 53 and 54 respectivelyr therein. It will be observed that panels 51 and 52 of the half l22, are not located at the ends of the half 22, but rather are about half way between the ends and the panels 4*'5 and 46 in each case. This construction is employed so that there will be a slight bending or fiexure action applied to the rod 12 when the two halves 21 and 22 are clamped in place thereon. Such bending will help to hold the rod 12 securely without any slippage thereof.

It will be appreciated by anyone skilled in the art that the adapter il might take other forms, and that the illustrated form might be constructed differently as to immaterial details, without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in considerable detail in accordance with the applicable statutes, this is not to be taken as in any way limiting the invention but merely as being descriptive thereof.

What is claimed as the invention is:

l. An adapter for deep well operations wherein a long string of relatively small diameter rods are yto be 11nscrewed, said adapter comprising a split cylindrical structure, said structure comprising a longitudinally divided pipe having two oppositely situated parts, a longitudinally elongated die having a V cross'section groove therealong and located on each of said parts for gripping one of the rods therebetween, a plurality of transverse panels located inside each of said parts to stilfen the same, said panels having a notch on each thereof aligned axially of said pipe for receiving the rod.

2. An adapter for deep well operations wherein a long string of relatively small diameter rods are to be unscrewed, said adapter comprising a split cylindrical structure, said structure comprising a longitudinally divided pipe having two oppositely situated parts, a longitudinally elongated die having a V cross section groove therealong and located on each of said parts for gripping one of the rods therebetween, a iirst pair of transverse panels located inside each of said parts to .stillen the same, longitudinally extending means for supporting each said die and extending between said iirst pair of panels, a second pair of transverse panels located inside each of said parts and spaced from said first pair of panels, said second pairs of panels being staggered longitudinally relative to each other when the adapter is closed, to cause some bending pressure on the rod, said panels having a notch on each thereof aligned axially of said pipe for receiving the rod.

3. An adapter for deep well operations wherein a long string of relatively small diameter rods are to be unscrewed, said adapter comprising a split cylindrical structure, said structure comprising a longitudinally divided pipe having two oppositely situated parts, a longitudinally elongated die having a V cross section groove therealong and located on each of said parts for gripping one of the rods therebetween, a first pair of transverse panels located inside each of said parts to stilfen the same, longitudinally extending means for supporting each said die and extending between said iirst pair of panels, said last named means comprising a V cross Vsection angle with the legs thereof lying along chords of said pipe, a second pair of transverse panels located inside each of said parts and spaced from said first pair of panels, said second pairs of panels being staggered longitudinally relative to each other when the adapter is closed, to cause some bending pressure on the rod, said panels having a notch on each thereof aligned axially of said pipe for receiving the rod.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES IATENTS 125,396 Jenney Apr. 9, 1872 157,435 Wray Dec. 1, 1874 427,782 Mobley May 13, 1890 624,449 Brunk May 9, 1899 696,829 Mack Apr. 1, 1902 832,595 Cook Oct. 9, 1906 2,753,743 Middleton July 10, 1956 

